Floating house with cover

ABSTRACT

A flood and wind resistant structure includes a building cover which includes a guide beam, and a building structure which includes a buoyant material structure positioned proximate to a floor of the building structure. The building structure is within an inner volume of the building cover. The building structure moves between raised and lowered positioned in response to being engaged by water. The building cover is shaped to deflect incident wind upwardly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to buildings and, more particularly, to buildings designed to be resistant to floodwaters and wind.

2. Description of the Related Art

Particular geographical areas are known to suffer from extreme weather, which is usually seasonal in nature. For example, in the United States, the gulf coast states during the hurricane season are prone to hurricane flooding and high winds. The damage to buildings from flooding and high winds is costly and it is inconvenient and time consuming to rebuild. Further, people who are caught in a flood often wait for long periods of time before being rescued, but need access to food and shelter in the meantime.

To reduce flood damage, people have resorted to building many different types of flood protection structures to divert the floodwaters away from buildings. These flood protection structures include dams, floodwalls, dikes and levees, among others. However, flood protection structures are expensive and can fail in certain circumstances and are not necessarily designed for high wind conditions.

Some solutions to flooding problems involve modifying a building so it is less susceptible to flooding. For example, when a building site is chosen near a body of water susceptible to flooding, construction techniques can involve the placement of several fixed piers or pilings under the building to raise its foundation.

These fixed piers permanently elevate the foundation of the building to a predetermined height above the ground surface. This allows for floodwater to pass under the building without flooding it. However, it is often inconvenient to enter and exit the building because it is permanently elevated. Further, an elevated building is generally more likely to sustain wind damage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a flood and wind resistant structure, which includes a building cover, and a building structure which is repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions within an inner volume of the building cover. The building structure moves between the raised and lowered positioned in response to being engaged by water.

The building cover is shaped to deflect incident wind upwardly. The building cover includes a guide beam which guides the building structure. The guide beam includes a corner which engages the building structure.

In some embodiments, the building cover includes a bottom platform and an intermediate platform. In these embodiments, the building cover includes a plurality of guide beams which extend between the bottom and intermediate platforms. The guide beams guide the building structure between the raised and lowered positions.

The invention provides a flood and wind resistant structure, which includes a building cover which includes a guide beam, and a building structure which includes a buoyant material structure positioned proximate to a floor of the building structure. The building structure is within an inner volume of the building cover. The building structure moves between raised and lowered positioned in response to being engaged by water.

The building cover is shaped to deflect incident wind upwardly. The building cover includes a plurality of guide beams which guide the building structure. In some of these embodiments, each guide beam includes a corner which engages the building structure.

In some embodiments, the buoyant material structure is a single integral piece. In these embodiments, the buoyant material structure moves along the guide beams in response to movement of the water. In some of these embodiments, guide beams are positioned at opposed sides of the building structure. In some of these embodiments, buoyant material structure extends between the guide beams. The buoyant material structure can engage the guide beams.

The building cover can include a bottom platform and an intermediate platform. In these embodiments, the buoyant material structure moves between the bottom and intermediate platforms in response to movement of the water.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a flood and wind resistant structure, in accordance with the invention, with a building structure in a lowered position.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the flood and wind resistant structure of FIG. 1 with the building structure in a raised position.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are more detailed top perspective views of the building structure of FIG. 1 in the lowered position.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the flood and wind resistant structure of FIG. 1 with a roofing structure, in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the flood and wind resistant structure of FIG. 1 with slanted sidewalls, in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 are top perspective views of a flood and wind resistant structure 100, in accordance with the invention. In this embodiment, structure 100 includes a building structure 130 and a building cover 160, which will be discussed in more detail with FIGS. 6 and 7. Building cover 160 is designed to protect building structure 130 from high winds.

In accordance with the invention, building structure 130 is moveable between lowered and raised positions 120 and 121, respectively, within an inner volume bounded by building cover 160. The movement of building structure 130 is indicated by a movement arrow 170. Building structure 130 moves between lowered and raised positions 120 and 121 in response to the presence and absence of floodwaters, as will be discussed in more detail below. In this embodiment, building structure 130 has eight sides 117 and eight corners 118 so that it is octagonal in shape.

Building covering 160 includes an inner frame structure, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and an outer covering structure, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The inner frame structure of building cover 160 defines the inner volume and the outer covering structure encloses it. The inner frame structure is shaped to house building structure 131 and to allow it to move between lowered and raised positions 120 and 121.

In this embodiment, the inner frame structure includes a number of guide beams 111 corresponding to the number of corners of building structure 130, which in this example is eight. Guide beams 111 extend upwardly from a bottom platform 113 and are coupled together with an intermediate platform 114. Intermediate platform 114 is raised above bottom platform 113. Each guide beam 111 includes a corner 119 that extends along its length and is adapted to receive a corresponding corner 118 of building structure 130. In this way, building structure 130 and guide beams 111 are slidingly engaged together. Guide beams 111 guide the movement of building structure 130 when it is moved between lowered and raised positions 120 and 121.

It should be noted that in this embodiment, building structure 130 is in lowered position 120 when its upper surface 129 is even with or below intermediate platform 114. Further, building structure 130 is in raised position 121 when its lower surface 128 is even with or above intermediate platform 114.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are more detailed top perspective views of building structure 130 in lowered position 120. In this embodiment, lower surface 128 is defined by a lower floor 136 and upper surface 129 is defined by an upper floor 112, which operates as the foundation for building structure 130. Upper floor 112 is carried above lower floor 136 by a wall structure 135. It should be noted that wall structure 135 generally defines a number of rooms within building structure 130. In this example, building foundation 136 is connected to upper floor 112 by a stair well 116. In this way, building foundation 136 defines a “first floor” and upper floor 112 defines a “second floor” above it. In this example, portions of upper floor 112 are made of a clear material, such as glass, so that light can flow through it and between the first and second floors. This feature will be discussed in more detail below. The glass can be of many different types, such as acrylic glass and Plexiglas.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of flood and wind resistant structure 100 with a roofing structure 108, in accordance with the invention. Roofing structure 108 forms a portion of the outer covering structure of building covering 160. In this embodiment, roofing structure 108 is carried above intermediate platform 114 on the ends of guide beams 111 away from bottom platform 113. In this way, guide beams 111 support roofing structure 108.

In accordance with the invention, roofing structure 108 includes a dome structure 106 having a centrally located dome light 107. Dome light 107 can be of many different types. In this embodiment, it is a low power energy efficient light, such as a fluorescent light. In other examples, it can be a metal halogen light or another type of light known in the art. In other embodiments, dome light 107 is replaced with a dome window.

Dome light 107, and dome window, if applicable, allows light to flow therethrough so it is incident to upper floor 112 and illuminates the “second floor”. Some of this light is able to flow through the clear portion of upper floor 112 so it illuminates the “first floor”. It should be noted that this illumination of the first and second floors can occur when building structure 130 is in raised and lowered positions 120 and 121.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of flood and wind resistant structure 100 with slanted sidewalls 101, in accordance with the invention. Slanted sidewalls 101 form a portion of the inner frame structure of building covering 160. In this embodiment, structure 100 includes support beams 115 (FIGS. 1 and 2) positioned to hold slanted sidewalls 117. Slanted sidewalls 117 form a portion of the outer covering structure of building covering 160.

As discussed above, bottom platform 113 is also octagonal in shape with corners aligned with guide beams 111. Support beams 115 are positioned so they extend between corresponding corners of bottom platform 113 to the uppermost end of a corresponding guide beam 111 near dome structure 106. Support beams 115 are slanted inwardly towards building structure 130 so that they are at an angle relative to bottom platform 113. In some embodiments, support beams 115 can be coupled with intermediate platform.

In this embodiment, covering structure 160 includes eight sidewalls 101. Each sidewall 101 extends from a corresponding side of bottom platform 113 to between the uppermost end of adjacent guide beams 111. Hence, a single sidewall 101 extends between adjacent guide beams 111 and is supported by support beams 115 and slanted inwardly along them. In this way, slanted sidewalls 101, as well as roof structure 108, form the outer covering structure of building cover 160.

In this embodiment, each sidewall 101 includes a lower window 104 and an upper window 103. Lower window 104 is positioned between lower platform 113 and intermediate platform 114. Further, upper window 103 is positioned between intermediate platform 114 and the uppermost ends of guide beams 111. In this way, building structure 130 is adjacent to lower window 104 when it is in lowered position 120 and adjacent to upper window 102 when it is in raised position 121.

In accordance with the invention, building structure 130 is carried on a buoyant material structure 150 (FIG. 2). Buoyant material structure 150 can include one or more pieces, but it is shown as a single piece here. Buoyant material structure 150 can be made of many different buoyant materials, such as foam, so it floats in response to being carried by enough water. In this way, building structure 130 is moveable in response to floodwaters. Building structure 130 moves from lowered position 120 to raised position 121 in response to buoyant material structure 150 being raised by floodwaters. Further, building structure 130 moves from raised position 121 to lowered position 120 in response to buoyant material structure 150 being lowered by floodwaters. In this way, building structure 130 moves between lowered and raised positions 120 and 121 in response to the presence and absence of floodwaters and buoyant material structure 150 provides flood protection to building structure 130.

In accordance with the invention, sidewalls 101 are slanted to deflect winds incident to structure 100. For example, wind 125 is incident to sidewall 101 and is deflected upwardly as wind 126. Deflected wind 126 flows over roof structure 108 as wind 127 where it flows past structure 100. In this way, building structure 101 provides wind protection to building structure 130.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims. 

1. A flood and wind resistant structure, comprising: a building cover; and a building structure which is repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions within an inner volume of the building cover; wherein the building structure moves between the raised and lowered positioned in response to being engaged by water.
 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the building cover is shaped to deflect incident wind upwardly.
 3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the building cover includes a guide beam which guides the building structure.
 4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the guide beam includes a corner which engages the building structure.
 5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the building cover includes a bottom platform and an intermediate platform.
 6. The structure of claim 5, wherein the building cover includes a plurality of guide beams which extend between the bottom and intermediate platforms.
 7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the guide beams guide the building structure between the raised and lowered positions.
 8. A flood and wind resistant structure, comprising: a building cover which includes a guide beam; and a building structure which includes a buoyant material structure positioned proximate to a floor of the building structure, the building structure being within an inner volume of the building cover; wherein the building structure moves between raised and lowered positioned in response to being engaged by water.
 9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the building cover is shaped to deflect incident wind upwardly.
 10. The structure of claim 8, wherein the building cover includes a plurality of guide beams which guide the building structure.
 11. The structure of claim 10, wherein each guide beam includes a corner which engages the building structure.
 12. The structure of claim 11, wherein the buoyant material structure is a single integral piece.
 13. The structure of claim 11, wherein the buoyant material structure moves along the guide beams in response to movement of the water.
 14. The structure of claim 8, further including guide beams positioned at opposed sides of the building structure.
 15. The structure of claim 14, wherein the buoyant material structure extends between the guide beams.
 16. The structure of claim 15, wherein the buoyant material structure engages the guide beams.
 17. The structure of claim 8, wherein the building cover includes a bottom platform and an intermediate platform.
 18. The structure of claim 5, wherein the buoyant material structure moves between the bottom and intermediate platforms in response to movement of the water. 